Fire-escape.



0. 4D. ALSPACH. HRB ESGAPE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 28.1908.

witnmu OSCAR DALE ALSPACH, OF LANCASTER, OHIO.

FIRE -E SGAPE Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 28, 1908.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Serial N0. 429,655.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, OSCAR DALE ALsPAoH, a citizen ofthe United States o1a America, re-

siding at Lancaster, in the county of Fair- 5 eld and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, ol which the following is a speci'lication.

This invention relates to iire escapes, and one of the rincipal objects of the same is to provide a iire escape which will be easy to manage and which will be sale and convenient to use.

Another object o1n the invention is to provide an endless ladder extending from the top to the bottom of the building and to provide means whereby the ladder will move downwardly with a person standing upon the cross bars thereof and to provide a brake to regulate the speed of descent.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation ol a portion of a building showing a lire escape made in accordance with my invention connected thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation ofthe fire escape. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the upper portion of the moving ladder. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the ladder of the escape. F 5 is a front elevation ofthe same; Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the manner of clai'nping the cross bars of the ladder. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of the same.

Referring to the drawings for a more specific description of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a hood or housing for the upper end of the iire escape, and 2 designates a frame or casing for the lower end of the same. Mounted in the housing 1 is a shaft 3, and mounted upon said shalt are three grooved pulleys 1, and outside ol the grooved pulleys are the brake pulleys 5. A shaft 6 is mounted in the frame 2 at the lower end of the fire escape, and upon said shaft 6 are three grooved cable pulleys 7.'

The shaft 6 is mounted in spring bearings 8, as shown m rF1g. 5, and connected to the spring bearing frame is a brace 9 which extends to the upper end of the building and is connected at 10 to the frame or housing 1. This brace 9 is of angular formation, as shown more particularly in Fig. 7.

The cross bars 11 of the ladder are bent upwardly at their ends, as at 12, and said ends are connected by means of clamps 13 to the cables 14. The clamp 13 consists of two members 15 provided with jaws which engage the cable 14 and a screw or bolt 16 which holds the two jaws together. The cross bars 11 of the ladder are pivoted between the members 15 upon a rivet 17 which passesthrough the two members 15 and through the upright portion 12 of the cross bars. A stop 18 is formed on the upright 12 which limits the swing of the cross bar.

The brake mechanism consists of the brake pulleys 5, the brake straps 19 and the operating mechanism therefor which consists of the sectors 20 connected to the rock shaft 21, and said rock shait carrying arms 22 to which the brake straps 19 are attached. An operating rope .13 connected to the sectors 20 may be readily grasped bj; the person standing upon the ladder' to regulate the descent thereof, as will be understood. At the bottom of the ladder the platform 25 is hinged at 26 to the lower landing, and said platform may be swung upon its hinges and connected to the hook 27.

The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows: ln case oi 'lire persons coming out ol the upper windows on to the landings 28 may step upon the ladder and grasp the brake rope 23. rlhis will permit the ladder to descend at the required degree el: speed.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that my invention is ol simple construction, does not require material alteration'in the construction of a building, can be easily installed, is safe and convenient to use and can be constructed at comparatively slight cost.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

The herein described fire escape comprising a movable ladder consisting oi a plurality of cables, a frame, grooved pulleys mounted in said frame over which said cables pass,

upwardly bent ends of the Cross bers being provided with stops to engage the upper surface of one member of the clamp when 10 the cross bar is swung outwardly.

In testimony whereof l @ICEX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR DALE ALSPAOH.

Witnesses 1 CLYDE A. MURPHY, JOHN VILLrAMsoN. 

